Track Google Ads data in Geckoboard

In this article, we'll show how to use our Google Ads data source to display information from your Google Ads data on your Geckoboard dashboard.

Important note

If your Google Ads widget is missing data (empty), check if you have a browser extension such as AdBlock, AdBlock Plus installed. This includes browsers running on devices displaying your dashboard on a TV, like a Raspberry Pi.

Example

Which metrics and visualizations are available for Google Ads?

Performance metrics

Display the average of a particular metric over a given timeframe for a given account, campaign, ad group, ad or keyword. The metrics available here are:

Cost per click (CPC)

Click through rate (CTR)

Position

Cost per conversion

Conversion rate

Clicks

Conversions

Cost

Impressions

Top performing search queries

Display a list of the top performing search queries for a particular keyword over a given timeframe. This can be shown for an ad group or campaign and a specific metric can be chosen to denote how performance is judged. The list can be sorted in ascending or descending order.

Top performing locations

Display a list of the top performing locations for an ad group or campaign over a given timeframe. A specific metric can be chosen to denote how performance is judged and the list can be sorted in ascending or descending order. The locations listed can broken down at a country, region, city, quarter or metropolitan area level.

Create a new Google Ads widget

To create a Google Ads widget, follow these steps:

Click Add widget, located in the top right of your dashboard.

Search for Google Ads using the Search sources field.

Alternatively, you can also scroll down the alphabetical list of integrations until you reach the Google Ads integration.

Click on the Google Ads integration.

Select the widget you'd like to add from the gallery of available widgets.

Is this is your first Google Ads widget?

You'll need to connect the Google account used to manage this to Geckoboard.

Create a connection to Google

When adding your first Google Ads widget, you'll be asked to create a connection and authenticate your Google account so that we're able to collect your data and display it on the dashboard. You only need to create this connection once for Google Ads – we'll take care of the rest.

To connect your Google account with Geckoboard, follow these steps:

The authentication box will first ask you to name this connection to your Google Ads account.

Tip

We recommend using a meaningful name that will allow you to know which Google account it is connected to and distinguish it from any other connections you might make.

Click on the Connect via Google Ads button.

A popup window will appear and allow you to log in to your Google Ads account.If you're not signed in to Google, you'll see a prompt to do this.

If you're already signed in to Google, you'll see the logged in account at the top of the list or can choose to sign in to a different account.

You'll then see a prompt asking you to allow Geckoboard to manage your Google Ads campaigns.

Important note

Geckoboard's application will view the information in your Google Ads account and access it via the API to display on your dashboard.

We won't change any data or campaigns and the staff here at Geckoboard won't have access to the connection unless you give us explicit permission to do this for troubleshooting purposes.

Click on Allow.

You're now ready to configure your first Google Ads widget!

Configuring your Google Ads widget

Complete the following fields for all Google Ads widgets:

Account

Check that this option shows the correct connection for the Google account that you would like to use.

Title

This can be set to any text you'd like to create the title element of the widget, or left blank if you would prefer not to include a title.

Customer

Select the particular Ads instance within the Google account that you would like to show data for within the widget.

Time frame

Select the particular period that you would like to show data for, from the list of available time frames.

Ads element

Select whether you would like to show data for a particular campaign or ad group. With the Performance Metrics widget, you can also select either the entire account or a particular ad with this option.

Network Type

If you've specified which elements of Google's network your ad or campaign appears on, you can select this here or use this option to view only performance in one particular element.

To set up a Performance Metrics widget, you should configure the following additional fields:

Performance Metric

Select the metric that you would like to show from the dropdown list of available Google Ads metrics.

Filter By Device

If you would like to see data for only tablets, mobiles or desktop or for unknown devices, you can select this option here.

Secondary stat

Optionally, add a metric to appear as a secondary element on the widget below the first, such as a comparison to the previous period.

Goal

Optionally, if you are not using a secondary stat, add a goal for the metric to appear as a secondary element on the widget

To set up a Top performing search queries widget, you should configure the following additional fields:

Keyword Match Type

If you have specified a particular keyword match type within the Ads campaign, you can select this here or use this option to view data for all keyword match types.

Campaign

Select the Ads campaign that you would like to show data for, from the list of available campaigns.

Ad Group

If you have selected ad group within the Ads element option, you should choose the ad group that you would like to show data for, from the list of available ad groups.

Metric

Select the metric that should be used to judge the performance of the keywords when ordering the data within the widget. The value of this will be shown below each keyword in the list.

Options

Lists are sorted in descending order by default. Check the box here to sort in ascending order instead.

To set up a Top performing locations widget, you should configure the following additional fields:

Campaign

Select the Ads campaign that you would like to show data for, from the list of available campaigns.

Ad Group

If you have selected ad group within the Ads element option, you should choose the ad group that you would like to show data for, from the list of available ad groups.

Metric

Select the metric that should be used to judge the performance of the locations when ordering the data within the widget. The value of this will be shown below each location in the list.

Location specificity

Select how you would like the locations to be shown, from the list of available options.

Options

Lists are sorted in descending order by default. Check the box here to sort in ascending order instead.